IN SERVICE:

FOOD CONSISTENCY FOR THE

THERAPEUTIC DIETMary White

Lindsay Wexler

Outline

What is a therapeutic diet?

What is food consistency?

Types of food consistency

Who needs it and why is it important?

Diet prep. And equipment needed

What is a therapeutic diet?

Therapeutic Diet:

Designed by a dietitian to meet a patient’s specific

needs, used to maintain health or modified to

accommodate changes in digestion, absorption, or

organ function ( Nelms p150).

Food consistency:

Aka Texture modifications. Includes oral diets from

Regular, no modifications, to clear liquid.

Food Consistency Diets:

Regular

Chopped

Mechanical soft

Soft diet (GI)

Pureed

Full Liquid

Clear Liquid

Thickened Liquid

Regular Diet

Excludes only very rich foods that may be difficult

for inactive people to digest such as:

pastries

heavy cakes

fried foods

highly seasoned foods

Has a lower caloric count

Chopped Diet

Foods that are cut into pieces ½ inch or smaller.

Often used when the patient can move food from

side to side in their mouth

Examples

casseroles, soft cheese cubes, chicken/egg salad,

chopped pastas or salads, grated carrots, small fruit

pieces.

Chopped Diet

Equipment needed:

Sharp knife

Cutting board

Food processor

Regular diet is chopped into roughly 1/2” cubes

Cook more tough food until soft

Mechanical Soft

Purpose: This diet is designed to minimize the

amount of chewing necessary for the ingestion of

food.

Similar to soft diet, but it is used for individuals who

have difficulty in chewing and or swallowing who

can tolerate foods of a more solid texture than a

pureed or blended diet.

Mechanical Soft Diet

The foods recommended on this diet are blended,

chopped, ground, or pureed and prepared with

added liquids to make them easier for you to eat.

Unlike soft diet: does not restrict fat, fiber, spices or

seasonings.

Preparing Soft/Mechanical Soft

Foods may be softened by cooking or mashing or

blenderizing.

Canned or soft-cooked fruits and vegetables may

be used in place of raw or dried varieties.

Refined breads and cereals are usually

recommended over whole-grain types.

Moist, tender meats, fish, and poultry are permitted

Question!

Which of these would be allowed in a mechanical

soft diet?

Soft Diet (GI)

This diet includes foods that are low in fiber and

soft in texture.

Low in fiber residue, easily digested, and well

tolerated. It is commonly recommended for people

who have gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances.

Soft Diet (GI)

Can give: milk, lean meats, fish, most forms of

potatoes and white breads.

Avoid: most raw fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds,

coarse breads and cereals are avoided.

Soft (GI)

Sample Menu Item: Roasted Mushroom and Lentil Cakes

Ingredients

½ cup dried red lentils 2 cups chestnut

mushrooms/crimini mushrooms, sliced 2/3 cup

walnuts, chopped 1 medium onion, 1 egg, 1

tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons soy

sauce 1 teaspoon mixed herbs/Italian seasoning

Pureed Diet

This diet is for anyone having difficulty chewing or

swallowing that can not safely consume a

Mechanical soft diet.

Patient A: What is your condition and what can you

eat?

Pureed diet

Equipment needed: Food processor or blender

Regular diet is blended with liquid (water, milk,

gravy).

Full Liquid Diet

Full liquid provides more nourishment than clear

liquid

Often a step between clear liquid and regular diet

Used for:

Patient’s with acute infections

Patient’s with difficulty chewing

Certain disease’s of digestive tract

Full Liquid Diet

Includes all clear liquids plus:

strained cereal/soup

milk, eggnog, cream, yogurt, malt, sherbet/ice cream (plain)

solids that are liquid at room temperature

Thickened Liquid Diet

Thickening agents are added to liquids to prevent

aspiration in patients with dysphasia

Can be added to any liquids from water to broth

Thickened Liquid Diet

Variations include:

Thin

Thickened

Nectar like

Honey like

Spoon thick

Clear Liquid Diet

This diet is for patients going into or recovering from

surgery.

Given every two-four hrs

Can see through the liquids

Do not irritate the bowel or cause gas and are

easily absorbed.

Does not leave residue in intestinal tract: usually

prescribed in surgery prep and immediately after

surgery, but still provides water and carbohydrates

Clear Liquid

Foods allowed include:

tea, coffee, with sugar, but no cream

clear, strained, fruit/veggie. juices

meat broths, fat free

ginger ale, 7up, Coke

gelatin

Clear liquid Diet

Patient B: What is your condition? And what can you

eat?

References

Marcia Nelms, et al. Nutrition Therapy and

Pathophysiology 2006 1st Ed.

http://www.health-

diets.net/healthsearch/therapeuticdiet.htm

http://www.dietsite.com/dt/Diets/TexturedAltered/

MechanicalSoftDiet.asp

http://gicare.com/Diets/Soft-and-Mechanical-Soft-

Diet.aspx

http://www.dietsite.com/dt/Diets/TexturedAltered/

MechanicalSoftDiet.asp